Keep updated with what is happening at Parkside Children's Learning Center!

July 27, 2018

Owner

July 27, 2018

Hello Parkside Families!

What a great week we have had at Parkside!I don’t know about you, but I cannot believe that we are closely approaching the month of August!The month of August is a very busy month for us at Parkside: we will be saying the last of our “good byes” to our Pre-K students, completing many student transitions, celebrating our End of the Year event and having our shut down day!This blog has all of the detailed information needed about these upcoming events!

Children’s Transitions:August is the most popular time for us to transition children in the center because many of our Pre-K kids are leaving for Kindergarten.When looking to transition children we determine whether it is an appropriate time to transition by their age (because younger ages can change our ratio in the classroom) and their developmental: will they be successful in the new classroom’s routines and expectations.Once we secure a date for the transition we notify our families and also provide a packet of information.We provide a written transition plan that includes the date of the transition and the times to visit each day.To help provide a smoother transition, it is helpful for you to meet with your child’s new teacher as well.Please stop by the office if you would like to schedule a needs and services.

“We’ve Got Your Back Campaign”:Have you seen the yellow school bus by our front doors?We are teaming up with Penquis C.A.P to collect school supplies to help local families.We will continue to collect supplies through August 10th.This is an annual campaign Parkside participates in; we believe it is important for children and families to start the school year knowing they will have the tools that are essential to having a successful school year!Thank you to those who have brought in supplies to help support this awesome cause!

End of the Year Event: As a way of saying “Good bye” to our fellow Pre-K friends and “Hello” to our new friends we have an “End of the year Event”!On August, 24th (rain date August 23rd) we invite families and fellow friends who have left earlier this summer to have fun on our playground!We will have several games on our playground and two bounce houses to have more fun on!In the afternoon we will have snow cones for the kids to have as a yummy treat!We will have permission slips in the classrooms for you to give your child permission to bounce on the bounce houses and to have a snow cone.

August 24th (rain date August 23rd) End of the year event!Times to be announced soon!

Friday, August 31st: Parkside CLOSED for teacher training!

Monday, September 3rd: CLOSED for Labor Day

Have a wonderful weekend,

Jen

Transitioning Kids from Summer Fun to a School Schedule

Summer days can be long and filled with fun. But as the days get shorter and the months roll by, it all-too-soon will again be time for bus stops and packed lunches, No. 2 pencils and gym bags.

Preparing your children to go back to school after summer break can affect a variety of behaviors that become habits during long-days full of sunshine and family time. But, it’s important to plan ahead and work to get kids back to their school-year schedule before school starts. Easing back into the routine can make the adjustment less stressful for the whole family.

Getting kids back on track with sleeping habits is important to avoid grogginess and lack of focus during the school day. To transition back to a school-year bedtime routine, the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) recommends:

Allow two weeks for change – Start bedtime adjustment about two weeks before the first day of school. Plan bedtime a bit earlier each night and adjust for an earlier wake-up time each morning until you get back to your school-year routine.

Dark and quiet – Create a sleeping environment for your child that is dark and peaceful. Keep radios, TVs and other electronic devices out of their bedrooms to avoid temptation and interference with sleep.

Encourage nutritious choices – Make sure your kids avoid big meals, sugary snacks and caffeine before bedtime. Caffeine especially should be avoided for at least six hours before bedtime so it doesn’t interrupt sleep patterns.

Limit screen time – Cut back on the amount of time your children spend watching TV, playing video games, using the computer or a table, texting friends and surfing social media on a smart device, especially just before bed.

Start “quiet time” – Between vacations, summer sports and just taking advantage of the longer days, summertime can get kids revved up to be on the move. Create some time for kids to wind down and relax at the end of the day, which could include bath time or story time for younger children or reading on their own for older children.

Stay consistent – Once you start changing your bedtime/waking time routine, don’t skip days. Stick with it for at least the two weeks before school so your kids have time to get used to the change.

In addition to establishing a good sleeping schedule, there are ways to make sure your children’s first day of school is as comfortable and anxiety-free as possible. Premier HealthNet physicians, suggest the following to alleviate back-to-school stress:

Connect with other kids – Reach out to other children who you know will be in your child’s class or school so they’ll have a familiar face to look for.

Get excited – Practice new teachers’ names, talk about new things they might learn and new projects they might get to work on. Celebrate the start of a new school year by celebrating your children’s growth.

Get prepared – Get supply lists early and plan a special day or two to dedicate to back-to-school shopping. Let your children help pick out pencils, a backpack and even the design on the tissue box so they can feel involved and excited for the fresh start.

Visit the classroom – Taking a trip to check out a new school and new classroom and locating other important places in the school – including bathrooms, the lunchroom and more – can make your child feel more confident.

Find more ideas about how to getting back into a school routine and getting excited for the new school year, talk with your physician or find a physician